Never mind the beef meat loaves. Opt for a lower-fat, less expensive, and incredibly tasty turkey meat loaf instead. This version doesn't try to mimic the taste of a beef meat loaf. Instead, the recipe plays up the good side of turkey. Think savory Thanksgiving Day fare, and you've got it with this loaf. Only it's far easier to produce than cooking (and taking apart) a whole turkey. In fact, this turkey loaf is quick enough to mix up and pop in the oven for a weeknight dinner. You can serve it plain or stir together a simple sauce to top it. Or just serve the loaf with cranberry sauce--Thanksgiving style! Any leftovers make great sandwiches or salad toppers during the week.
Simple Turkey Meat Loaf -- Serves 6+
1 onion, chopped (about 1/2-3/4 cup)
1/2 cup of chopped celery
1/2 cup of shredded carrots
1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon of poultry seasoning
1/4 teaspoon of pepper
1 tablespoon of dried parsley flakes
16-24 ounces of lean ground turkey (93 percent lean)
2 eggs
1/2 cup of plain, non-fat yogurt
1 tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce
1 6-ounce package of turkey stuffing mix
2-4 tablespoons of low-fat milk
Coat a large (2-quarts or so), oven-proof dish or pan with non-stick cooking spray. In a large bowl combine the onion, celery, carrots, garlic powder, poultry seasoning, pepper, and parsley flakes and add 1/4 cup of water. Microwave the vegetable-seasoning mixture for 3-5 minutes or until the vegetables have softened a little. Stir in the ground turkey, eggs, yogurt, and Worcestershire sauce, mixing until everything is thoroughly combined (don't worry about over mixing). Stir in the turkey stuffing cubes until they're combined. Let the mixture sit for 5 minutes while you preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Stir the meat loaf mixture again. If it seems a bit dry, mix in a little milk, a tablespoon at a time. Dump the mixture into the prepared dish and shape the mixture into a loaf 8-10 inches long and a few inches wide. Bake the meat loaf for 35-45 minutes or until a meat thermometer inserted in the center of the loaf registers 160 degrees. Let the meat loaf cool a few minutes before serving it.
Simple Sauce
1/2 cup of chicken broth
1 tablespoon of prepared Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon of dried thyme
1 teaspoon of Worcestershire sauce
1 cup of sour cream
In a small pan, heat the chicken broth, mustard, thyme, and Worcestershire sauce until boiling, reduce the heat, and let the mixture cook a few minutes. Off the heat, whisk in the sour cream until thoroughly blended. Serve the sauce with the meat loaf. If you want, you can also heat the chicken broth mixture in a microwave-safe measure in the microwave, stirring it periodically. Whisk in the sour cream once the broth mixture has reduced a little.
